Former Otago club member, Tony Dowden, was the winner of the Otago Summer Rapid tournament held earlier this month. Now based in Launceston, Tasmania, Dr Dowden was able to take part while on a short work trip back to his old stamping ground of Dunedin.
The event was small but sociable, with eleven participants. Dowden opened up a point lead after defeating his three main rivals in rounds two to four. A convincing vicory overall, only conceding a draw to his former chess student, Joel Smith, in round five and finishing on 5½/6. Second place went to the writer on 5 points, ahead of John Sutherland and Hamish Gold on 4 points. The Junior prize was shared between Adam Scott and Charlie Ruffman, both finishing on 3 points.
Today's game is the decisive encounter from the fourth round between the tournament winner, playing White, and the runner-up.
1.c4 Nf6 2.g3 e6 3.Bg2 d5 4.Nf3 c5 5.cxd5 Nxd5 6.Nc3 Be7 7.O-O O-O 8.Nxd5 Qxd5
Black has not really thought out his response to White's English Opening. While the alternative capture 8 ... exd5 would result in an isolated d-pawn after 9 d4 Nc6 10 dxc5 Bxc5, at least Black would have active pieces. Now the pressure down the long white diagonal makes it hard to develop his queenside. 9.d4 Qd7?!
Too nervous of the bishop's gaze in the fast time-limit. 9...Rd8 continuing development was better. 10.Be3 Na6 11.Rc1 Rd8? 12.dxc5! Qb5
White wins a pawn as the intended 12 ... Qxd1 13 Rfxd1 Rxd1+ 14 Rxd1 Nxc5? leads to disaster on the back rank: 15 Bxc5! Bxc5 16 Rd8+ Bf8 17 Ne5 f6! 18 Nd7! Kf7! 19 Rxf8+ Ke7 20 Rg8 Kxd7 21 Rxg7+ Kd6 22 Rxh7 with an easy win. 13.Qc2 Nb4 14.Qc4 Bd7 15.a3 Nd5 16.Bd4 Rac8 17.Qxb5 Bxb5 18.Rfe1 a5 19.e4 Nc7 20.b4 axb4 21.axb4 Na6 22.Bc3 Rd3!?
Risky, but Black is desperate to generate some counterplay against White's efficient consolidation of his advantage. 23.Bf1 Rxf3 24.Bxb5 Rxc3!? 25.Rxc3 Nxb4 26.Rb1 Rxc5 27.Rxc5 Bxc5 28.Rd1! f6?!
Black's exchange sacrifice for two pawns could have had a decent drawing chance if it weren't for the weakness of f7 after 28 .... g6 29 Rd8+ Kg7 30 Be8! with 31 Rd7 to follow. Unfortunately the attempt to save the pawn is worse. 29.Rd7 b6 30.Bc4 Nc6 31.Bxe6+ Kf8 32.Rf7+ Ke8 33.Rxg7 Resigns
Black's two pieces are just spectators to the invasion of White's rook and bishop.
Dowden raids Otago Summer Rapid
Problem: White to play and mate in three.
Former Otago club member, Tony Dowden, was the winner of the Otago Summer Rapid tournament held earlier this month. Now based in Launceston, Tasmania, Dr Dowden was able to take part while on a short work trip back to his old stamping ground of Dunedin.
The event was small but sociable, with eleven participants. Dowden opened up a point lead after defeating his three main rivals in rounds two to four. A convincing vicory overall, only conceding a draw to his former chess student, Joel Smith, in round five and finishing on 5½/6. Second place went to the writer on 5 points, ahead of John Sutherland and Hamish Gold on 4 points. The Junior prize was shared between Adam Scott and Charlie Ruffman, both finishing on 3 points.
Today's game is the decisive encounter from the fourth round between the tournament winner, playing White, and the runner-up.
1.c4 Nf6
2.g3 e6
3.Bg2 d5
4.Nf3 c5
5.cxd5 Nxd5
6.Nc3 Be7
7.O-O O-O
8.Nxd5 Qxd5
Black has not really thought out his response to White's English Opening. While the alternative capture 8 ... exd5 would result in an isolated d-pawn after 9 d4 Nc6 10 dxc5 Bxc5, at least Black would have active pieces. Now the pressure down the long white diagonal makes it hard to develop his queenside.
9.d4 Qd7?!
Too nervous of the bishop's gaze in the fast time-limit. 9...Rd8 continuing development was better.
10.Be3 Na6
11.Rc1 Rd8?
12.dxc5! Qb5
White wins a pawn as the intended 12 ... Qxd1 13 Rfxd1 Rxd1+ 14 Rxd1 Nxc5? leads to disaster on the back rank: 15 Bxc5! Bxc5 16 Rd8+ Bf8 17 Ne5 f6! 18 Nd7! Kf7! 19 Rxf8+ Ke7 20 Rg8 Kxd7 21 Rxg7+ Kd6 22 Rxh7 with an easy win.
13.Qc2 Nb4
14.Qc4 Bd7
15.a3 Nd5
16.Bd4 Rac8
17.Qxb5 Bxb5
18.Rfe1 a5
19.e4 Nc7
20.b4 axb4
21.axb4 Na6
22.Bc3 Rd3!?
Risky, but Black is desperate to generate some counterplay against White's efficient consolidation of his advantage.
23.Bf1 Rxf3
24.Bxb5 Rxc3!?
25.Rxc3 Nxb4
26.Rb1 Rxc5
27.Rxc5 Bxc5
28.Rd1! f6?!
Black's exchange sacrifice for two pawns could have had a decent drawing chance if it weren't for the weakness of f7 after 28 .... g6 29 Rd8+ Kg7 30 Be8! with 31 Rd7 to follow. Unfortunately the attempt to save the pawn is worse.
29.Rd7 b6
30.Bc4 Nc6
31.Bxe6+ Kf8
32.Rf7+ Ke8
33.Rxg7 Resigns
Black's two pieces are just spectators to the invasion of White's rook and bishop.
1-0
Solution: 1 Rd8+! Nxd8 (1... Nf8 2 Rxf8+ Rg8 3 Rxg8#) 2 Bd4+ Rf6 (2...Rg7 3 Qxg7#) 3 Bxf6#.